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Sustainable Development: A Bird’s Eye View

Author

Listed:
  • Tom Waas

    (Plant Biology and Nature Management, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
    Institute of Environment & Sustainable Development, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium)

  • Jean Hugé

    (Plant Biology and Nature Management, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
    Institute of Environment & Sustainable Development, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium)

  • Aviel Verbruggen

    (University of Antwerp, Prinsstraat 13, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium)

  • Tarah Wright

    (Environmental Science, Dalhousie University, 1355 Oxford Street, Halifax B3H 4J1, NS, Canada)

Abstract

At the turn of the millennium, the world’s political leadership adopted sustainable development as a leading model for societal development. However, the terms “sustainable development”, “sustainability” and “sustainable” are sometimes over- and misused despite wide consensus about the concept’s meaning among sustainability scholars and practitioners. While the concept allows various sustainability views to co-exist, random conceptualizations which do not respect the fundamental sustainability principles undermine the concept’s objective to steer action. This lack of understanding of sustainability arguably inhibits its practical realization and a proper understanding of sustainability is urgently needed. In this paper we aim to contribute to a better understanding of sustainability by adopting a bird’s eye perspective. We review the rich contemporary literature, with a specific focus on the terminology, genesis, fundamental principles, mainstream views of sustainability, and several governing aspects. Further, using the evolving body of sustainability literature, the paper provides arguments to combat common misconceptions of sustainability.

Suggested Citation

  • Tom Waas & Jean Hugé & Aviel Verbruggen & Tarah Wright, 2011. "Sustainable Development: A Bird’s Eye View," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 3(10), pages 1-25, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:3:y:2011:i:10:p:1637-1661:d:14155
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Rosalind Sharpe & David Barling, 2019. "‘The right thing to do’: ethical motives in the interpretation of social sustainability in the UK’s conventional food supply," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 36(2), pages 329-340, June.
    3. Szopik-Depczyńska, Katarzyna & Cheba, Katarzyna & Bąk, Iwona & Kiba-Janiak, Maja & Saniuk, Sebastian & Dembińska, Izabela & Ioppolo, Giuseppe, 2017. "The application of relative taxonomy to the study of disproportions in the area of sustainable development of the European Union," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 481-491.
    4. Thomas Allen & Paolo Prosperi & Bruce Cogill & Martine Padilla & Iuri Peri, 2019. "A Delphi Approach to Develop Sustainable Food System Metrics," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 141(3), pages 1307-1339, February.
    5. Judith Janker, 2020. "Moral conflicts, premises and the social dimension of agricultural sustainability," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 37(1), pages 97-111, March.
    6. PANȚA Nancy Diana, 2019. "Clashing Perspectives On Sustainable Development," Studies in Business and Economics, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Faculty of Economic Sciences, vol. 14(1), pages 181-190, April.
    7. Laura Del-Río-Carazo & Santiago Iglesias-Pradas & Emiliano Acquila-Natale & José Gabriel Martín-Fernández, 2021. "Appropriate Technology for Access to Universal Basic Services: A Case Study on Basic Electricity Service Provision to Remote Communities in the Napo River Basin," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-15, December.
    8. Susanna Sironen & Jyri Seppälä & Pekka Leskinen, 2015. "Towards more non-compensatory sustainable society index," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 17(3), pages 587-621, June.

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